Myringotomy drain tube

ABSTRACT

A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in the tympanic membrane of the ear to allow drainage of the middle ear through the external auditory canal. The drain tube includes a hollow body adapted to extend between the middle ear and the external auditory canal to allow drainage therethrough. A head portion is provided on the forward end of the body for inserting through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of the drain tube from the middle ear. The head portion is collapsible for allowing it to be inserted and extracted through the myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening.

[451 Mar. 18, 1975 MYRINGOTOMY DRAIN TUBE [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

Ricardo .1. Heros, Memphis, Tenn.

Richards Manufacturing Company, Memphis, Tenn.

22 Filed: Dec. 3, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 421,144

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Richards Manufacturing Company Catalogue, 1966, p. 1,Form 04966.

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerRick OpitzAttorney, Agent, or FirmJohn R. Walker, 111

[57] ABSTRACT A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening inthe tympanic membrane of the ear to allow drainage of the middle earthrough the external auditory canal. The drain tube includes a hollowbody adapted to extend between the middle ear and the external auditorycanal to allow drainage therethrough. A head portion is provided on theforward end of the body for inserting through the myringotomy opening toprevent accidental extraction of the drain tube from the middle ear. Thehead portion is collapsible for allowing it to be inserted and extractedthrough the myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomyopening.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MYRINGOTOMY DRAIN TUBE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to draintubes which are placed in incisions in the tympanic membrane of the ear.

2. Description of the Prior Art The following US. Pat. Nos. are known torelate generally to the present invention: Majoros, 3,530,860 andCapote, 3,645,268. The 860 reference discloses drain tubes 22,90. The'268 reference discloses a drain tube 10. Neither of the above patentsdisclose or suggest the present invention.

The use of hollow tubing to maintain a myringotomy opening in thetympanic membrane of the ear for allowing drainage or ventilationtherethrough as a treatment for serious otitis or the like is well knownto those skilled in the art. These prior drain tubes have been either astraight tube, a straight tube with a flange on one end, a straight tubewith a flange on one end and a split second end, or a straight tube withflanges on both ends. However, all prior drain tubes have beendisadvantageous. Drain tubes without flanges on either end, althoughbeing easy to insert into the myringotomy opening, are disadvantageousbecause of the possibility of the drain tube being accidentallyextracted from the tympanic membranes On the other hand, while draintubes having flanges on one or both ends overcome to a great extent thepossiblity of the drain tube being accidentally extracted from thetympanic membrane, they are disadvantageous in that they are difficultto insert into and extract from the myringotomy openings and tend toenlarge the myringotomy openings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towardsovercoming the problems and disadvantages in previous myringotomy draintubes. The concept of the present invention is to provide a draintubehaving a hollow body for extending between the middle ear and theexternal auditory canal through the myringotomy opening to allow themiddle ear to drain or ventilate therethrough and having collapsiblehead means fixedly attached to the forward end of the body for insertingthrough the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of thedrain tube from the middle ear and for allowing insertion and extractionthereof through the myringotomy opening without enlarging themyringotomy opening.

The collapsible head means includes a conicalshaped flange portion. Theconical-shaped flange portion is normally rearwardly directed forallowing easy insertion of the head means through the myringotomyopening. However, the conical-shaped flange portion is reversible to aforwardly directed position when extracted through the myringotomyopening for allowing easy extraction therethrough.

I Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe drain tube of the present invention shown in use in a patients ear.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the drain tube of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the drain tube of the present invention.

Ill

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the drain tube of the presentinvention showing the conicalshaped flange portion in the rearwardlydirected position in solid lines and in the collapsed, rearwardlydirected position in phantom lines.

FIG. 5 is a section view of a portion of the drain tube of the presentinvention similar to FIG. 4 but showing the conical-shaped flangeportion in the forwardly directed position in solid lines and in thecollapsed, forwardly directed position in phantom lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drain or ventilation tube 11of the present invention is for inserting into a myringotomy opening 13in the tympanic membrane 15 of a patients ear to allow drainage and/orventilation of the middle ear 17 through the external auditory canal 19.The drain tube 11 prevents the myringotomy opening 13 from closing andaids in the drainage and ventilation therethrough.

In general, the drain tube 11 of the present invention comprises a body21, a head means 23, and a stop means 25. The body 21 includes a forwardend 27 for inserting through the tympanic membrane 15 into the middleear 17 and includes a rearward end 29 for remaining in the externalauditory canal 19 (see FIG. 1). The body 21 includes an aperture 31extending between the forward end 27 and the rearward end 29 to allowthe middle ear 17 to drain and ventilate there through.

The head means 23 is fixedly attached to the forward end 27 of the body21 for inserting through the myringotomy opening 13 to preventaccidental extraction of the drain tube 11 from the middle ear 17. Morespecifically, the head means 23 includes a conical-shaped flange portion33 being normally directed towards the rearward end 29 of the body 21(see FIG. 4) to allow easy insertion through the myringotomy opening 13.Hovy ever, the conical-shaped flange portion 33 is reversible to aforwardly directed position away from the rearward end 29 of the body 21(see FIG. 5) when extracted through the myringotomy opening 13 forallowing easy extraction therethrough. The conical-shaped flange portion33 is collapsible to a low profile position (see the phantom lineshowings in FIGS. 4 and 5) for allowing insertion and extraction throughthe myringotomy opening 13 without enlarging the myringotomy opening 13and has substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profileposition after insertion through the myringotomy opening 13 to preventaccidental extraction therefrom. Preferably, the cross-sectionalthickness of the wall of the conical-shaped flange portion 33 is lessthan the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of the body 21 to aid inmaking the conical-shape flange portion 33 collapsible and reversible.

The stop means 25 includes a flange portion 35 fixedly attached to therearward end 29 of the body 21 to prevent migration of the drain tube 11into the middle ear 17. More specifically, if the drain tube 11 doesstart to migrate into the middle ear 17 the flange portion 35 of thestop means 25 contacts the tympanic membrane 15 around the myringotomyopening 13 to prevent further migration thereof. The stop means 25preferably includes a rearwardly directed tab portion 37 for aid ininserting and extracting the drain tube from the myringotomy opening 13.

Preferably, the body 21, head means 23, and stop means 25 are integrallyconstructed of a silicone elastomer. The silicone elastomer provides thedrain tube 11 with the substantial elastic recovery to allow theconical-shaped flange portion 33 to return to the high profile positionafter being compressed to the low profile position for allowinginsertion and extraction through the myringotomy opening 13.

The insertion of the drain tube 11 is quite simple. After themyringotomy opening 13 is made in the tympanic membrane 15 by means wellknown to those skilled in the art, the drain tube 11 is picked uppreferably by means of small alligator forceps or the like grasping therearwardly directed tab 37. Next, the head means 23 is inserted throughthe myringotomy opening 13. It should be understood that the head means23 collapses to the low profile position as it is inserted through themyringotomy opening 13 and returns to the high profile position after itis inserted through the myringotomy opening 13 to prevent accidentalextraction therefrom. Thus, the drain tube 11 allows drainage andventilation of the patients middle ear 17 past his tympanic membrane 15through the aperture 31 and into his external auditory canal 19. Aftersufficient drainage has taken place, the drain tube 11 can be removed bysimply grasping the rearwardly directed tab 37 with the forceps andextracting the head means 23 through the myringotomy opening 13. Itshould be understood that when the head means 23 is extracted throughthe myringotomy opening 13, it is reversed to the forwardly directedposition and is collapsed to the low profile position for allowingextraction through the myringotomy opening 13 without enlarging themyringotomy opening 13 to insure quick healing of the myringotomyopening 13.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respectto a preferred embodiment thereof, it is not to be so limited sincechanges and modifications may be made therein which are within the fullintended scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patientstympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patients middle car throughhis external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising:

a. a hollow body having an unobstruced passageway of substantiallyuniform diameter therethrough for extending between the middle ear andthe external auditory canal through the myringotomy opening to allow themiddle ear to drain therethough; and

b. head means fixedly attached to the forward end of said body forinsertion through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidentalextraction of said drain tube from the middle ear, said head meansincluding a normally rearwardly directed conicalshaped flange portionbeing so constructed as to be collapsible to a low profile position forallowing easy insertion thereof through the myringotomy opening withoutenlarging the myringotomy opening; and having substantial elasticrecovery for returning to a high profile position after insertionthrough the myringotomy opening to prevent accidential extractiontherefrom and being reversible to a forwardly directed position whenextracted through the myringotomy opening for allowing easy extractiontherethrough.

2. The drain tube of claim 1 in which the crosssectional thickness ofthe wall of said conical shaped flange portion is less than thecross-sectional thickness of the wall of said hollow body for aid inmaking said head means collapsible.

3. The drain tube of claim 1 in which is included stop means fixedlyattached to the rearward end of said hollow body for preventingmigration of said drain tube into the middle ear.

4. The drain tube of claim 3 in which said stop means includes arearwardly directed tab portion for aid in inserting and extracting saiddrain tube.

5. The drain tube of claim 4 in which said hollow body, said head means,and said stop means are integrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.

6. A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patientstympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patients middle ear throughhis external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising:

a. a hollow body having a forward end for inserting through the tympanicmembrane, a rearward end for remaining in the external auditory canalwhen said forward end is inserted through the tympanic membrane, and anunobstructed passageway of substantially uniform diameter extendingbetween said forward and rearward ends for allowing the middle ear todrain therethrough;

b. head means fixedly attached to said forward end of said hollow bodyinserting through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidentalextraction of said forward end of said hollow body from the middle ear,said head means including a conicalshaped flange portion, saidconical-shaped flange portion being normally rearwardly directed forallowing easy insertion through the myringotomy opening and beingreversible to a forwardly directed position when extracted through themyringotomy opening for allowing easy extraction therethrough saidconical-shaped flange portion being so constructed as to be collapsibleto a low profile position for allowing insertion and extraction throughthe myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening andhaving substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profileposition after insertion through the myringotomy opening to preventaccidental extraction therefrom; and

0. stop means fixedly attached to said rearward end of said hollow bodyfor preventing migration of said drain tube into the middle ear, saidstop means including a flange portion.

7. The drain tube of claim 6 in which the crosssectional thickness ofthe wall of said conical-shaped flange portion is less than thecross-sectional thickness of the wall of said hollow body for aid inmaking said conical-shaped flange portion collasible.

8. The drain tube of claim 6 in which said stop means includes arearwardly directed tab portion for aid in inserting and extracting saiddrain tube.

9. The drain tube of claim 8 in which said hollow body, said head means,and said stop means are integrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.

1. A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patient''stympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patient''s middle ear throughhis external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising: a. a hollowbody having an unobstruced passageway of substantially uniform diametertherethrough for extending between the middle ear and the externalauditory canal through the myringotomy opening to allow the middle earto drain therethough; and b. head means fixedly attached to the forwardend of said body for insertion through the myringotomy opening toprevent accidental extraction of said drain tube from the middle ear,said head means including a normally rearwardly directed conical-shapedflange portion being so constructed as to be collapsible to a lowprofile position for allowing easy insertion thereof through themyringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening; andhaving substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profileposition after insertion through the myringotomy opening to preventaccidential extraction therefrom and being reversible to a forwardlydirected position when extracted through the myringotomy opening forallowing easy extraction therethrough.
 2. The drain tube of claim 1 inwhich the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of said conical shapedflange portion is less than the cross-sectional thickness of the wall ofsaid hollow body for aid in making said head means collapsible.
 3. Thedrain tube of claim 1 in which is included stop means fixedly attachedto the rearward end of said hollow body for preventing migration of saiddrain tube into the middle ear.
 4. The drain tube of claim 3 in whichsaid stop means includes a rearwardly directed tab portion for aid ininserting and extracting said drain tube.
 5. The drain tube of claim 4in which said hollow body, said head means, and said stop means areintegrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.
 6. A drain tube forinserting into a myringotomy opening in a patient''s tympanic membraneto allow drainage of the patient''s middle ear through his externalauditory canal, said drain tube comprising: a. a hollow body having aforward end for inserting through the tympanic membrane, a rearward endfor remaining in the external auditory canal when said forward end isinserted through the tympaniC membrane, and an unobstructed passagewayof substantially uniform diameter extending between said forward andrearward ends for allowing the middle ear to drain therethrough; b. headmeans fixedly attached to said forward end of said hollow body insertingthrough the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of saidforward end of said hollow body from the middle ear, said head meansincluding a conical-shaped flange portion, said conical-shaped flangeportion being normally rearwardly directed for allowing easy insertionthrough the myringotomy opening and being reversible to a forwardlydirected position when extracted through the myringotomy opening forallowing easy extraction therethrough said conical-shaped flange portionbeing so constructed as to be collapsible to a low profile position forallowing insertion and extraction through the myringotomy openingwithout enlarging the myringotomy opening and having substantial elasticrecovery for returning to a high profile position after insertionthrough the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extractiontherefrom; and c. stop means fixedly attached to said rearward end ofsaid hollow body for preventing migration of said drain tube into themiddle ear, said stop means including a flange portion.
 7. The draintube of claim 6 in which the cross-sectional thickness of the wall ofsaid conical-shaped flange portion is less than the cross-sectionalthickness of the wall of said hollow body for aid in making saidconical-shaped flange portion collasible.
 8. The drain tube of claim 6in which said stop means includes a rearwardly directed tab portion foraid in inserting and extracting said drain tube.
 9. The drain tube ofclaim 8 in which said hollow body, said head means, and said stop meansare integrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.